IPL 2019: Why has lifting the trophy with RCB become so important for Virat Kohli?
IPL 2019 will kick off from 23rd March, with two cricketing powerhouses, Royal Challengers Bangalore and defending champions Chennai Super Kings locking horns in the tournament opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
RCB are one of the most popular IPL teams, and they have remained arguably the most power-packed lineup over the years. However, despite always having numerous stars at their disposal, they have not been able to lift the prestigious IPL trophy - losing in the finals as many as three times.
This year, Virat Kohli and RCB will be looking to go out and get their hands on the IPL trophy which has been eluding them for 11 years now.
Why has winning the IPL become so crucial for Kohli? There are a couple of compelling reasons.
It will prove his critics wrong
Despite the fact that he has led the Indian cricket team successfully, many critics have raised questions over Kohli's leadership. They argue that it is his captaincy which is holding the RCB team back.
Critics have further called Kohli lucky to have MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma in the national team, which supposedly makes it easier for him to take captaincy decisions.
Out of 11 IPL seasons Kohli has led the Bangalore-based franchise in the last six, but they have no title to their account. Kohli doesn’t have a good match-to-match record as RCB captain either. He has led RCB in 96 games, in which they have won 44 matches and lost 48 (and four no results).
Ever since Kohli took over the captaincy full-time in 2012, the Royal Challengers have qualified for the playoffs on just two occasions, and have reached the final just once.
This time around Kohli will be eager to improve his record. And as we all know of him by now, he will be fired up to prove his critics wrong. Winning the IPL trophy will do precisely that for him.
Shrugging off the title of 'chokers'
Season after season RCB have assembled a team full of T20 superstars. Every year they enter the tournament as one of the firm favorites to lift the title.
Over the years this has become a pattern for the RCB team. And yet somehow, they have not been able to cross the finish line.
As a team full of world beaters, they have not been able to unlock their full potential. They have always punched below their weight in the tournament, hence earning the title of 'chokers'.
This season RCB will be looking to lift their maiden IPL trophy so that they can finally shrug off the title of chokers and prove their naysayers wrong.
RCB will try to find the right combination straight-away and will be looking to hit the ground running from the very first match.
Will history repeat itself all over again, or will Kohli & Co. write a new chapter this time around? That remains to be seen.